Worcester's Willis Center to close Feb. 6

The Henry Willis Center, a social service agency that lost its state funding last month, will close all its programs Feb. 6.

Carlton A. Watson, the Willis Center's executive director, said in an emailed statement this morning that the center is working with the state “to ensure our clients are provided with quality, uninterrupted care during this time of transition.”

Mr. Watson's statement continued, “As individual contracts come to an end and specific programs are eliminated, the Willis Center will be conducting layoffs of employees through Feb. 6, at which time the center's program operations will cease. Some staff will be retained on a temporary basis to assist with transition planning, and we anticipate others will be assumed by similar organizations in the service area.”

Between January and June 2012, the organization eliminated a $285,000 deficit, and it was running a surplus, Mr. Watson said in a previous statement concerning the Willis Center's finances. Last month, the Willis Center reduced its full- and part-time staff by 24 positions, from 185 to 161.

Although financial difficulties had threatened the center's existence, the closing comes earlier than expected. The center had announced in December that it would continue operating for 60 days, with hopes that finances would improve.

The Willis Center, which has been a nonprofit in the city since 1991, offers a variety of programs, the vast majority of which are funded by the state of Massachusetts. When the state announced last month that it was stopping all funding to the Willis Center and canceling all contracts, the nonprofit had little choice but to begin moving its clients into other programs.

As yet, the state has not laid out the reasons behind the shutoff of state funds. In response to an email from the newspaper, Alec Loftus, spokesman for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, said that the state might be able to release some information later today.

Mr. Loftus previously said the state cut off funding on Dec. 11 because of “serious concerns with financial management and client care issues.”

The Willis Center, which has its main offices on Forest Street, operates social services programs in Worcester and surrounding towns, including substance recovery services, child and adolescent services, neighborhood services, developmental services and homeless family services, according to the organization's website. It also offered counseling and residential treatment to people with HIV and AIDS, according to documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

According to the organization's Form 990 filed with the IRS, the Willis Center brought in $12.3 million in revenue but had $12.6 million in expenses in fiscal 2011. It listed a negative cash flow of $285,000.

The Willis Center had been financially troubled for some time, having had to close several programs and lay off dozens of employees five years ago. In January 2011, the nonprofit struggled to meet its payroll for its 185 full- and part-time employees.